A slang term meaning openly, obviously, or intensely, often used as the opposite of lowkey, and also a technical term in photography for bright, low-contrast lighting.
Describing a style of lighting or photography that is bright and even, with few dark areas or strong shadows.
Examples
The photographer used highkey lighting to create a cheerful mood.
Highkey images often lack deep shadows.
We shot the commercial in a highkey style.
The highkey portrait made her skin look flawless.
Most sitcoms use highkey lighting.
Adjust the exposure to achieve a highkey effect.
Similar words
bright
overexposed
washed out
flat
even
soft
glowing
diffused
Etymology
Formed by combining the adjective 'high' with the word 'key', likely influenced by the photographic term 'high-key' and later popularized as slang in contrast to 'lowkey'.
FAQ
What does highkey mean?
It means openly, obviously, or intensely, often used to emphasize a feeling.
Is highkey the opposite of lowkey?
Yes, while lowkey means subtle or secret, highkey means obvious or open.
How do you use highkey in a sentence?
You can say, "I highkey love this song," to mean you really and openly love it.
What is highkey in photography?
It refers to a bright style of lighting with very little contrast or shadow.
Is highkey a formal word?
No, the slang usage is informal and common in social media and casual speech.
Comments & contributions
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